No more 90-second possessions. No more frustrating glances at that blank shot clock. With the Vikings pressing and pestering all game, this WIAA Division 2 state championship game moved at Wisconsin Lutheran's pace.

"We were able to exorcise some of those demons from last year when it was a frustration of not being able to force Pulaski into tempo and wear them down," Wisconsin Lutheran coach Ryan Walz said. "This year, we were able to do that — in both games."

One year after failing to stall-ball Pulaski, the Vikings are champions.

Wisconsin Lutheran (26-2) dictated the tempo in dominating Rice Lake, 61-46, for the crown at the Kohl Center.

This could have been déjà vu. In Rice Lake (23-3), the Vikings ran into a team that flows through 6-foot-10 Henry Ellenson. While Ellenson had his moments in a 21-point, 12-rebound night, the Vikings forced the Warriors three gears too fast.

So jubilation replaced devastation at the final buzzer this year.

Motivation was a factor. The Vikings didn't want to relive that nightmare.

"The words we used most of the year was 'be determined,'" junior Anthony Carver said. "So most of the year we used that. Before every game, we had five keys, and that was always one of them. Be determined. Our end goal was state.

"Every game, our five keys to get to state, the top one was 'be determined' every game."

Carver was automatic inside the arc most of the night in finishing with a team-high 18 points to go with eight rebounds. Keith Franklin added nine points, and CJ Polk chipped in eight points and eight boards.

To eliminate Ellenson, the Vikings knew they had to fluster the guards first. They couldn't let Rice Lake set up its offense.

That plan worked. The Vikings guards pressured full-court all game. Rice Lake coach Kevin Orr admitted his team doesn't see this much pressure up north.

Rice Lake had 13 turnovers, though the damage went beyond the stat sheet. Whereas Rice Lake's offensive possessions were exhaustive and empty, Wisconsin Lutheran (44.7% from the field) almost always passed its way to a high-percentage short jumper.

Wisconsin Lutheran often fronted Ellenson in the paint with a second defender ready to swat the lob from behind. Despite giving up 6-to-7 inches to the big man, the strategy worked

Seven of Ellenson's 17 attempts were three-pointers.

The Vikings built a 28-18 halftime lead and were never threatened. To start the second half, Carver hit a pair of jumpers. And back-to-back three-pointers from Franklin and Milton Cummings dug Rice Lake into a 44-26 hole it'd never escape.

"Every loose ball, we fought for," Walz said. "Every rebound, we fought for. It was all the little things. We talk about making plays. What is making a play? Make as many plays as you can. Don't wait for other people to do it. You go do it yourself. I thought we made a ton of plays today in the game."

Throughout this two-loss season, Wisconsin Lutheran wasn't going to be satisfied without a win on this court.

Redemption was a must. Last year, Pulaski stunned the Vikings here, 48-40.

"No matter how much we progressed in the playoffs, we weren't going to be happy until we won that gold ball," Franklin said. "It was just a 180-degree flip from last year losing."

One of Walz's concerns with this team was complacency. Moments after his team captured this state title, he said he was probably harder on this team than past ones.

"I've been around basketball long enough to know only one team gets to raise that gold ball," Walz said. "And I knew these guys would be just completely disappointed if that's what they didn't do. So I wanted to make sure they enjoyed this season without just having the gold ball. What happens if that doesn't happen?"

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